Page 99 - The Royal Lancers Chapka 2017

REGIMENTAL JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL LANCERS (QUEEN ELIZABETHS’ OWN) 97
Ipswich Detachment – Suffolk Army Cadet Force
2017 was another busy year for the detachment full of many training weekends, Annual Camp and community events. The year started off with a company training weekend in Feb- ruary which provided the cadets a chance to catch up on some of their Army Proficiency Certificate syllabus training and get some star passes completed. Throughout the year, the detach- ment took part in community events and helped local people and organisations raise money for charities and the local com- munity. This year, on the 18th March, we helped to marshal the Orwell Park School 10 kilometre charity fun-run. Every year we help the local horse community at their shows, providing as- sistance with setting up the show field, car parking, maintaining the course and occasionally saving stranded wildlife.
On 3rd May, the detachment visited Royal Air Force Wattisham for an open evening, hosted by 3rd Regiment Army Air Corps and 4th Regiment Army Air Corps. The cadets learnt about the Apache Helicopter, survival equipment and the equipment used by the pilots. On the 20th May, the cadets were invited to attend the Suffolk Agricultural Association Charity Ball. They took part in a small parade alongside a band of Royal Marines cadets from the Royal Hospital School in Holbrook.
Cadets (left to right) Cadet Lance Corporal Davey, Cadet Corporal Ebsworth, Cadet Baker, Cadet Corporal Roberts, Cadet Corporal Spalding, Cadet Lance Corporal Towner, standing at ease with Lances at the Suffolk Agricultural Association Annual Charity Ball; held at the Suffolk Show 31st May-1st Jun 2017
On the weekend of 27th and 28th of May, cadets from the de- tachment put their navigation and expedition skills to the test, working towards their Duke of Edinburgh’s awards and Army Cadet Force Expedition syllabus training. On 24th June, cadets from the detachment assisted with the local Armed Forces Day event in Felixstowe. Cadets helped to promote the organisa- tion, as well as take part in the parade on the seafront. On the weekend of 5th-7th May, the Detachment joined cadets from the other local detachments in the Company with a weekend honing their shooting skills using the L98A2 General Purpose and the L98A2 Light Support Weapons. This year, cadets from the De- tachment attended annual camp in Longmoor. The camp was full of varied training, with a good mix of military skills and adventure training; this year saw many promotions and awards for the Detachment including receiving the trophy for the best detachment in the county. As we do every year, the Detachment took part in the launch of the Royal British Legion Poppy Ap- peal in Ipswich; the event started with a speech from the Mayor and the chairman of the Royal British Legion Ipswich Branch. This was followed by the annual opening of the local Poppy Ap- peal Shop in Sailmakers Shopping centre, Ipswich.
ST
Cadet Corporal Wood (the senior cadet of the detachment), collecting the trophy for the annual award of Best Detachment within the County; on Annual Camp 7th-16th August 2017, from Colonel GWR French, Commandant Suffolk Army Cadet Force
Uttoxeter Detachment – Staffordshire and West Midlands Army Cadet Force
October 2017 saw Cadet Chelsea Ratcliffe and Cadet Aiden Rowland (now both Lance Corporals) assist 94-year old Mr. Roy Marran, a World War Two veteran, selling poppies in Leek. Roy’s father was a World War One veteran who died shortly after the war from complications after being gassed. Roy’s mother and siblings were one of the first families to be assisted by the Poppy Appeal, receiving a weekly cash donation. Roy has never forgotten how the Poppy Appeal helped him and every year he dons his blazer, medals and beret, and raises money at his local supermarket in Leek. His story was picked up by the BBC and broadcast in the West Midlands region. Our cadets were there to assist Roy on the day. This was a great honour for our Detach- ment to be chosen from all the others in the county. Our sec- ond event involved Cadet Megan Crane, a new recruit who only joined us in September 2017. Megan donned her uniform and skated 200 laps of the local ice-rink to raise funds for the Royal British Legion. It took her an hour to complete and she raised £315 for the appeal. This was on top of the £3900 the Detach- ment raised by selling poppies in Uttoxeter; not a bad effort for a
small market town. Our Detachment continues to grow and our cadets are extremely proud to be affiliated to The Royal Lancers.
We hope that we can visit the Regiment in 2018.
JW
Cadets Ratcliffe and Rowland with Mr. Roy Marran